Jud. 21:25

"In those days Israel had no king; and everyone did as he saw fit"

And so ends the book of Judges. This period in Israel’s history was filled with shame, confusion and despair. The Lord Himself was supposed to be the king of this kingdom of priests. But the people given this high calling repeatedly dishonored His Name by worshiping false gods and doing what they saw fit to do rather than obeying their king’s laws. It is easy to judge them for their disobedience when we read Judges. But don’t we do the same today when we do as we see fit rather than obey the clear command of Scriptures to glorify God’s Name among every nation?

King Jesus, we want to bring You glory. Teach us to obey You and to honor, not shame, Your Name among the peoples.

Gandharp People of Gujarat, India

Their name derives from a Sanskrit word meaning a race of divine

singers. However, few today pursue a musical profession. In fact, most

Gandharps make a living in the service sector while others farm.

Gandharp culture is undergoing change. Dress is changing. Some customs are being abandoned as too expensive. Bride price is not always given as it has in the past. Perhaps as a result, marriageable Gandharp girls are sometimes given to Sindhi men instead of members of their own people.

Originally Hindus, they are now Muslims. Even so, there is only one mosque in Balasinor, a place where many of them live. In Baroda, Gujarat, there is a religious school, but few Gandharp people attend schools of any kind. Those who do go to school rarely go on to high school. That limits their economic options. The lower literacy also has implications for evangelization.

As Muslims they need to know Jesus as more than a prophet. They need to know that He is the only way to salvation, so that some day they shall be a race of redeemed singers, singing praises to the Lamb.

Pray that while undergoing cultural change, the Gandharps will become open to the gospel. Pray that they will be adopted as a people group by churches. Pray that they will take an interest in education and that innovative evangelism be developed to reach them as oral learners.-TP